These Theatre Thoughts

  Photo credit: Darren Bell My review of   The Way Old Friends Do  at The Criterion Theatre, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  You can’t beat a bit of Abba, and Abba tribute acts are always a draw. What’s that? It’s all been done? Here we go again, we know the start, we know the end? But wait! What about a drag Abba tribute act? It’s perhaps not a question you’ve ever asked yourself before, but by the time you reach the curtain call of The Way Old Friends Do , you’ll wonder why; Abba and drag just go together so well.  Read more at:  https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-the-way-old-friends-do-criterion-theatre

  Photo credit: Johan Persson My review of   La Cage Aux Folles  at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, on behalf of Theatre Weekly:  La Cage Aux Folles  has been around, in various guises, for 40 years now, but rather than becoming stale, it’s still as ground-breaking now as it was then (and just as relevant), and this new production of Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman’s astonishingly vibrant and sassy musical hits all the right notes without a sequin, feather, or witty comment out of place. Directed by Tim Sheader,  La Cage Aux Folles  is a beautiful celebration of life, love, and being yourself, and that’s something we all need to make more time for. Read more at: https://theatreweekly.com/review-la-cage-aux-folles-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/

  Tickets: Gifted Date: 4th August 2023  Seat: Unallocated  Stars: 2 The story of the Boleyn family is a rich and fascinating one filled with mystery, intrigue, and some very well-hidden skeletons in some very ornate closets; The Sphere of Light , written and directed by Ann Henning Jocelyn and based on her book of the same name, tries valiantly to capture that captivating essence. It almost succeeds, too, and with some tweaks, this play about not just Anne but lesser-known Boleyn family members could become something wonderful. It’s just not quite there yet.  Performed in the gorgeous setting of Hever Castle’s loggia, there could be no better place to watch the drama behind one of the most notorious and little-understood families in history play out – after all, the castle was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. Surrounded by expansive gardens on one side and the stunning lake on the other, the atmosphere was evocative and meaningful. Unfortunately, the play didn’t live u...

Photo credit: Mark Senior Tickets: Gifted Date: 3rd August 2023  Seat: H20  Rating: 4 Stars Trailer:  https://youtu.be/lH7qiP4tDQY Colourful costumes? Check. Bright set design? Check. Jokes for kids? Check. Jokes for adults? Check. Fantastically fun music, larger-than-life characters, a whimsical and wacky storyline, and cool camp charm? Check, check, check, and a very definite check.  You could say that The SpongeBob Musical has it all. You could say that, and after having watched it at the gorgeous Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre, I am saying that. The SpongeBob Musical is a daft and delightful caper that you just know is going to have a happy ending, but that gives your heart a bit of a flutter along the way even so.  The story is set in Bikini Bottom, home of SpongeBob Squarepants himself, where the titular sponge, along with his friend Patrick and an assorted cast of characters including Squidward, Sandy Cheeks (a squirrel – under the se...

  (c) Hugo Glendinning Tickets: Gifted Date: 28th July 2023 Seat: J15 (Stalls) Rating: 4 Stars Trailer:  https://youtu.be/k8bWWsoSXYg There’s a lot to be said for theatre that entertains. Really entertains. And The Crown Jewels , written by Simon Nye, is exactly that kind of theatre. It’s silly, funny, a little bit rude, there’s audience participation, there are jokes, there’s standup, there’s singing (thank you, Carrie Hope Fletcher – always a treat), there’s (attempted) murder and mayhem, and it’s all based on a true story. What more could you ask for?   The story of The Crown Jewels concerns the attempted theft of said baubles by Colonel Thomas Blood in 1671. Along with his son and another accomplice, Captain Perrot, they bluffed their way into viewing the crown jewels, attacked the guard, and tried to make off with them. It did not go well. But Blood’s ‘punishment’ might not be quite as deadly as you imagine… I won’t spoil the story, but it’s not something most kings...

Tickets: Gifted Date: 24th July 2023 Seat: H16 Star Rating: 5 Trailer:  https://youtu.be/LvmFQZXCQcE  My review video:  https://youtu.be/J5lf0o0hwFo In a world filled with familiar shows that pedal out the same old story time and again, Ride shines as a beacon of originality, artfully weaving the little-known history of Annie Londonderry into the most extraordinary and exciting musical experience. Freya Catrin Smith and Jack Williams have skillfully crafted a captivating narrative that transcends time and place, touching on subtle feminist themes, the power of storytelling, and the complex relationship between reality and self-perception. But don’t worry; it’s done in a fun, fascinating, and fabulously fantastic way that makes the story even more compelling than it already is.  That story is that of Annie Londonderry, who, on the back of a wager that may or may not have actually happened (she is the most unreliable of narrators, as we come to find out), carries ou...

  My review of   Twelfth Night  at Wilton's Music Hall, London, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  Twelfth Night at Wilton's Music Hall, presented by Duke's Theatre Company, offers an evening of absurd Shakespearean shenanigans that raises laughs and cheers and, perhaps surprisingly, some audience participation that gives the entire production the fun feeling of being at a panto. In fact, the story of Twelfth Night , with its themes of mistaken identity, love triangles, and general comedic chaos, is the kind of thing a good panto should definitely be made of.   Read more at:  https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-twelfth-night-wiltons-music-hall-dukes-theatre-company